


Two things that happened and one that didn't: Coulson and Romanov

by quigonejinn



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-09
Updated: 2012-04-09
Packaged: 2017-11-03 07:38:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/378944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quigonejinn/pseuds/quigonejinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Here is the thing that didn't happen: Pepper is in a place that looks, for all the world, like the lobby of a small, not-too-fancy government agency that handles something obscure and really boring and involving a lot of paperwork. </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two things that happened and one that didn't: Coulson and Romanov

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on [DW](http://quigonejinn.dreamwidth.org/158671.html#cutid1) on 5/10/2010.

1.

Coulson comes into the lounge on Sunday morning and finds Natasha sitting on the couch. Sunlight is pouring through the big side windows. Natasha is wearing a black SHIELD t-shirt on and gray NSA sweatpants. Also, her hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and the lounge television is tuned to the local public broadcasting channel. It's something about America's national parks. 

"Hey," Natasha says, without looking up and while he is still behind her. 

"Can I change the channel?" he says.

"Sure," she says, and scootches over on the couch. Coulson sits down, picks up the remote control and changes it to the Green Bay game. Natasha goes back to painting her fingernails with clear nail polish. She lets it dry, then starts to put on another layer, from another bottle. This kind is basically clear, with just the faintest, faintest hint of pink. While it dries, she holds her hands up a couple times to admire them in the light. Natasha is more than little bit vain as long as it doesn't interfere with work. 

Most people work at something else before coming to SHIELD. 

2\. 

There are layers to it, and then, there are layers beyond layers. Four months after the second time they're in Tokyo together, they're in the belly of a cargo plane waiting to dropped on location, and Natasha tells him a story. It's the first personal story she has told him in nearly two years of working together, the only personal thing he actually knows about her, and here is how the story goes: one time, she was in Berlin and on the run from the police for work that had gone very, very wrong. A woman who had been raped by the Soviets when they took the city hid Natasha under the bed until the police had come and gone. After all, she, too, had once been young and trapped without anywhere to run. 

"She must have been pretty old by then," Phil says. 

The edge of Natasha mouth tilts upwards. "It wasn't that long after the war." 

Natasha doesn't remember the woman's name; it was better that way.

Most people have something to live for besides the game of espionage.

3.

Here is the thing that didn't happen: Pepper is in a place that looks, for all the world, like the lobby of a small, not-too-fancy government agency that handles something obscure and really boring and involving a lot of paperwork. There is a receptionist, and there is an American flag in the corner. A selection of magazines and today's newspapers is laid out on the table in front of a few chairs that are on beige carpet. It's very quiet except for the sound of somebody, somewhere, running photocopies. Pepper's heart hurts, and she keeps dialing Tony's number: nothing. Tony isn't picking up. Jarvis isn't picking up. Jim swears he is on the way to Tony's house -- he still doesn't entirely believe her about Obadiah being crazy. 

After a few minutes, Coulson comes out with a very small woman with very red hair and a very tight black catsuit with a silver gun hanging from the hip. The receptionist doesn't look up; Coulson actually looks tall when he is standing next to her. He is still wearing his blazer and not-quite-right government suit pants. The person making photocopies is still photocopying. 

"Ready, Ms. Potts?" Coulson says.

Pepper isn't quite sure what to say, or if they are waiting for anybody else. "Obadiah probably has a -- a -- you saw it on the thumb drive. Is that -- shouldn't we take a few more people? More back-up?" 

Natasha cracks her neck, tightens her gloves. Coulson smiles. "Actually, Ms. Potts, I'm her back-up."

Tony arrives in time to see the modified Mark I topple, very slowly, onto the asphalt. Natasha climbs on top of the suit, in fact, and hauls a gasping Obadiah from the wreckage.


End file.
